Starter control for internal combustion engines



Jan. 12, 1937. H ELKl 2,067,180

STARTER CONTROL FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES 1 Filed Jan. 28, 1956 A "it? INVENTOR.

' BY JnanueL/i. em

I A ORNEY.

Patented Jan. 12, 1937 UNITED STATES RHSSUED' I PATENT oFFicE J STARTER CONTROL FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Manuel H. Elkin, Elmira Heights, N. Y., assignor to Eclipse Machine Company, Elmira, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application January 2a, 1936, Serial No. 61,209 14 Claims. (61.290-37) been heretofore proposed have had certain dis- 2 advantages such as the interruption of the cranking operation if the control member is released, the restriction of motion of the control member to a definite position during cranking, etc. When vacuum-operated disabling means are used to prevent cranking while the engine is self-operative, there is also the possibility of undesired actuation of the starting mechanism upon sudden opening of the throttle.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel starter control of the above-described type in which the original function and opera;-

tion of the control member is not affected in any.

way.

It is another object to provide such a device in which after initiation of .the cranking opera-,

tion, it is not interrupted by further manipulation of the control member.

It is a further object to provide such a device in which actuation of the starting mechanism while the engine is self-operative is efiectively prevented.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which: Fig. 1 is aside elevation of a preferred form of the invention as applied to a conventional power plant layout, the electrical circuits being diagrammatically indicated;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail of the starting switch and control mechanism partly broken away to show the intemal construction; and a Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail 0! a vacuum lock-out device. 7

Referring first to Fig. l of'the drawing, there is illustrated an internal combustion engine I having a carburetor 2, the throttle of which is controlled by accelerator pedal 3 through levers 4 and 5 and link 6.

A starting motor I for the engine is arranged to be energized by a battery 8 by means of leads 9 and II and starting switch indicated generally at l2, the starting circuit being completed through the ground connections I 3 and I4.

According to the present invention, the starting switch i2 is constructed as shown in Fig. 2 and comprises a fixed contact l5 connected to lead II, a fixed contact l6 connected to the terminal post I! of the motor, and movable bridging contact l8 mounted on a, plunger [9 which is slidable through the core 2l of an electromagnet 22. The magnet 22 is preferably of the so-called ironclad type and is for that. purpose provided with a' cylindrical magnetic casing 23 extending level with the end of the core 2!. An armature in the form of a disc 24 of magnetic material is suitably fixed on the plunger IS in such position that when the armature is in engagement with the magnet, the switchmember l8 engages contacts i5,'l6. Contact I8 is preferably slidably mounted on plunger l9 and yieldably held against a stop 25 thereon by means of a spring 26 which is so arranged that the final movement of the armature 24 into contact with the poles of the magnet compresses the spring 26 so as to yieldingly force the contact l8 against contacts l5, l6, v

A spring 21 is provided between the stop 25 on plunger I 9 and the wall of the casing 28 of the switch whereby the plunger I9 is normally positioned so that the armature 24 is out'oi the zone of effective influence of magnet 22. Energization oi the magnet when the parts are in normal position will therefore not cause closure of the switch.

A bellcrank lever 29 is pivoted at 3| on a guide member 32 suitably fixed to the casing 28 of the switch as by means of bolts 33. One arm 34 of the lever 29 is arranged to engage a head 35 on the end of plunger l9 projecting from the switch casing. The other arm 36 of the lever is arranged to bear, preferably by means of a roller 31, on a sliding cam member 38 mounted to reciprocate in the guide 32 and provided with a low portion 39 and a high portion 4! connected by an inclined portion 42.

When the parts are in normal position as shown in Fig. 2, the roller 3-! bears on the low portion 39 of the cam, but when the cam member is moved in the direction oi'the arrow a, the roller 31 is raised by the inclined portion 42 onto the high portion 4| of the cam, thus causing thebellcrank lever 29 to be rotated clockwise whereby the arm 34 thereof causes the plunger l9 to be moved inwardly, thus moving the armature 24 thereon into such proximity to the magnet 22 ture and cause closure of the switch.

Cam member 38 is arranged to be actuated by the accelerator pedal 3 by suitablemeans such as a link 43 (Fig. 1) connecting the cam member to the lever B which is actuated by the accelerator pedal as above set forth.

A control circuit for electromagnet I! is provided comprising a manual switch 4| connected to the battery lead 9, and leads 4!, l6, and 41. The control circuit is completed by a lead connected to an engine-driven generator G grounded at I! and arranged when operated by the engine to oppose the voltage of the battery and thus prevent flow of current through the electromagnet A vacuum lock-out device may also be used either separately or in conjunction with the generator for preventing undesired closure of the starting switch while the engine is self-operative. A preferred form of such device is illustrated in the form of a switch 5| mounted on the intake manifold 82 of the engine and having contacts 53 and 54 (Fig. 3) normally connecting the leads I and ll of the control circuit. A diaphragm 55 subjected to intake vacuum holds contacts II and 54 open during self-operation of the engine.

A restricted passage It is provided in the inlet of the chamber 51 of the vacuum switch in order to delay closure of the contacts until a predetermined time after the vacuum in the intake manifold is released.

In order to prevent interruption of cranking by opening of contacts 53 and 54 during the cranking operation, a resistor BI is shunted across the contacts. said resistor having such a value as to pass only suilicient current to energiae the magnet 22 to a holding value.

A backfire circuit breaker Il may also be mounted on the intake manifold I! of the engine and placed in series in the control circuit as indicated in order to prevent closure of the control circuit during backward rotation of the engine by virtue of pressure built up in the intake manifold. Such a circuit breaker is illustrated and described in the patent to Christian, No. 1,986,673, and no further description thereof is accordingly deemed necessary.

- In operation, and starting with the parts in their idle positions as illustrated, closure ofthe ignition switch ll causes energisation of the electromagnet 2! since the engine isstationary. contacts ll, 84 closed, and the generator G deenergiaed. The starting switch Ii, II, II is not closed, however, since the armature 24 is. out of the zone of influence of the electromagnet 2!.

Depression of the accelerator pedal I by the operator thereupon causes the bellcrank lever 20 to be rotated clockwise by the action of the sliding cam member 88, the arrangement being such that when the throttle valve of carburetor 2 has been opened by the accelerator to a position suitable for starting the engine. the bellcrank lever 20 has pushed the plunger ll inwardly sufficient to bring the armature 24 within the zone of influence of electromagnet 22. The electromagnet thereupon attracts the armature 24, moving the plunger is to complete the closure of the starting switch, whereupon the circuit from battery 8 through the starting motor I is completed and cranking of the engine takes place in the usual manner.

It will be noted that the cam member ll does not in any way interfere with the motion of the accelerator pedal I so that the throttle may be opened further or closed or placed in any desired position. Moreover, although contacts I, ll

may be opened by the intake vacuum din'ing cranking, the electromagnet 22 remains energized sufliciently to hold the starting switch I! closed by virtue of current traversing the resistor 58. Cranking is therefore not interrupted but continues until the engine starts.

When the engine becomes self-operative, rotation of the generator G thereby causes suincient electromotive force to be built up by the generator to oppose the voltage of the battery and cause deenergization of the electromagnet 22. The starting switch is thereupon permitted to open and remains opened thereafter as long as the engine is self-operative.

It will be understood that other embodiments of the invention are possible, that various changes might be made in the design of the parts and that other control elements might be utilized to operate the starting mechanism such, for instance, as the clutch pedal or brake pedal of an automotive vehicle.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with an internal combustion engine and a starting system therefor including a magnetic s ting switch, a manually operable control membe and means operable thereby for moving the switch toward closed position but inoperative to close the switch.

2. In combination with an internal combustion engine and a starting system therefor including a magnetic starting switch, a manually operable control member, means operable thereby for moving the switch toward closed position but inoperative to close the switch, manually controlled means for energizing said switch suiiiciently to complete the closure thereof, and an enginedriven generator arranged to oppose energization of the switch.

3. In combination with an internal combustion engine, a starting system therefor including a magnetic starting switch comprising an electromagnet and an armature movable thereby to close the switch, means normally maintaining said armature out of the zone of effective influence of the electromagnet, a manually operable .control member, and means actuated thereby for moving the armature into the zone of influence of the magnet.

4. or combination with an internal combustion engine, a starting system therefor including a magnetic starting switch comprising an electromagnet and an armature movable thereby to 'close the switch, means normally maintaining said armature out of the zone of effective influence of the electromagnet, a manually operable control member for the engine, means actuated thereby for moving the armature into the zone of influence of the magnet but inoperative to cause closure thereof, and means preventing energization of the magnet during self-operation of the engine.

5. In combination with an internal combustion engine, a starting system therefor including a magnetic starting switch having an electromagnet and an armature movable thereby to close the switch, a manually operable engine power control member, and means operable thereby to move said armature to partially close the switch but inoperative to effect closure thereof, said means being so constructed that the control member is at all times free for normal operation.

6. In combination with an internal combustion engine and a starting system therefor including 76 aoemeo a starting switch, a manually operable engine power control member, means actuated by said control member for moving said switch toward closed position but inoperative to effect closure thereof, and means then operative for closing said switch and maintaining said switch closed irrespective of movement of the control member.

7. In combination with an internal combustion engine and a starting system therefor including a starting switch, a manually operable engine power control member, means actuated by said control member for partially closing said switch but incapable of. effecting closure thereof, and manually controlled means for moving the switch from its partially closed to its fully closed position.

8. In combination with an internal combustion engine, a starting system therefor including a starting switch, a manually operable engine power control member, means actuated by said control member for partially closing said switch but incapable of effecting closure thereof, manually controlled means independent of the control member for moving the switch from its partially closed to its fully closed position, and means responsive to self-operation of the engine for rendering said manually controlled means inoperative.

9. In combination with an internal combustion engine, a starting system therefor including a starting switch, means normally maintaining said switch open, manually operable means for magnet and an armature movable thereby to close the switch, means normally maintaining said switch open and the armature out of the zone of influence of the electromagnet, manually operable means for controlling the fuel supply to the engine, means actuated by operation thereof to partially close the starting switch and move said armature into the zone of efifectiveness of the electromagnet, and manually controlled means for energizing said electromagnet to complete the closure of the starting switch and hold it closed irrespective of subsequent movement of the fuel-controlling means.

11. In combination with an internal combustion engine, a starting system therefor including a magnetic starting switch having an electromagnet and an armature movable thereby to close the switch, means normally maintaining said switch open and the armature out of the zone of influence of the electromagnet, manually operable means for controlling the fuel supply to the engine, means actuated by an initial operation thereof to partially close the starting switch and move said armature into the zone of effectiveness of the electromagnet, manually controlled means for energizing said electromagnet, and an enginedriven generator arranged to oppose energization of said electromagnet.

12. In combination with an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold, a starting system therefor including a magnetic starting switch, a manual control member for the engine,

means actuated thereby for partially closing said switch, means energizing said switch to complete the closure thereof, and means responsive ,to variations of pressure in said intake manifold for preventing such closure of said switch.

13. In combination with an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold, a starting system therefor including a magnetic starting switch, a manual control member for the engine, means actuated thereby for-partially closing said switch, means energizing said switch to complete the closure thereof, means responsive to varia tions of pressure in said intake manifold for pre venting such closure of said switch, and means for holding said switch closed irrespective of the operation ofthe pressure-responsive means.

14. In combination with an internal combus-= tion engine having an intake manifold, a starting system therefor including a magnetic starting switch, a manual control member for the engine, means actuated thereby for partially closing said switch, means energizing said switch to complete the closure thereof, means responsive to variations of pressure in said intake manifold for preventing such closure of said switch, means for holding said switch closed irrespective of the operation of the pressure-responsive means, and means responsive to self-operation of the engine for deenergizing said holding means.

MANUEL I-li. ELKIN. 

